Rick Wakeman, 77, is to perform a piano concert for 150 rescued bears in Vietnam to free the FINAL 125 from bile farms

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Rick Wakeman will take to the stage at Animals Asia's bear sanctuary in Vietnam's Tam Dao National Park on September 24, playing piano pieces specially written for bears to raise awareness of 125 animals still trapped on bile farms. The former Yes keyboard wizard, who has performed with David Bowie, Lou Reed and T. Rex, says the 'Free The Final Bears Concert' is far and away the most unusual gig of his career. The stage will sit at the sanctuary's edge so the rescued bears can approach and listen freely.

Wakeman fears his furry audience may already be bored — staff at Animals Asia have been pumping his piano music out to the bears for weeks.

'I've played in some amazing, weird and wonderful places, but this is far and away the most unusual,' he told the Press Association.

Wakeman is currently a guardian of one of the sanctuary's bears, named Moon.